This website contains information about the activities of the Wongawilli Colonial Dance Club, Wongawilli Band and Wongawilli Colonial Dancers in the Illawarra region on the south coast of New South Wales.

The Club has presented a bush dance every Wednesday at the Wongawilli Community Hall (except over the Christmas/New Year) since 1987. There is a live band and all the dances are walked and called through. Acoustic musicians are welcome as sheet music is provided. There are a number of theme dances nights during the year as follows. Click here for directions to Wongawilli Community Hall

The band, dancers and Club celebrate 21 years. The first official performance of the Wongawilli Band was 1st August 1987 at a bush dance at the Kiama Showground Pavilion.

The band, in a smaller format performed in Europe once again in June/July 2008. The tour included returning to the Skagen Festival in Denmark for a third time and venues in Berlin, Scotland and north England. See the update for a full schedule.

The band with guest musicians Tim Kendall and Johnny Spillane and a whole bunch of fun-loving music appreciators and tourists have returned from New Zealand. The tour package included air-conditioned coach, tourist attractions on the North and South Island, concert entries, breakfasts and dinners and a special souvenir tourist shirt. Click here for more details.

band, in a smaller format, performed in Europe once again in July 2006. The tour began at the Skagen Festival in Denmark and then in Finland for the Kuopio International Festival and the amazing Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.

The band was joined by other Australian bands Jigzag and Junior at Kuopio.

The band, in a smaller format, performed at the Opening Night of the Australian Film Week in Shenzhen on Tuesday 16th May and the Australian Pavilion at the China International Cultural Industry Fair in Shenzhen from 18 - 20 May.

The band will also played at an Austrade Business Function and the True Colour Club in Shenzhen.

This will be the third visit in as many years. The previous events were the Australian Film Festival in Beijing and the Nanning International Folk Song Arts Festival.

New Tunebook Released

David De Santi and Jane Brownlee launched the second volume of Australian Traditional Dance Tune at the 2006 National Folk Festival in Canberra at Easter.

This formed part of the their work as the 2004 National Library Folk Festival Fellowship winners. Jane and David spent 2 months at the Library finding 'new' old tunes.

The book has 175 tunes and includes the 51 tunes they found as part of their Fellowship and which are included on the recording, subtitled A Swag of Treasures.

The band, in a smaller format, toured in Europe once again in July 2006. The tour began at the Skagen Festival in Denmark and then they wereoff to Finland for the Kuopio International Festival and the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. More details click here.

16th National Folk Festival Performances, 2006

The Wongawilli Band, along with the Wongawilli Colonial Dancers performed at it's 16th consecutive National Folk Festival over Easter, 13-17 April 2006.

The band and dancers presented a number of Australian and Italian theme performances including 'Our Australian Italian Wedding', Opening Dance, Launch of Australian tunebook and Italian tunebook. The band also presented a bushy Italian theme version of Joe Dolce's Shaddap You Face!

David and Jane from the band also performed with Kavisha Mazzella in presenting the music under the silent film, 'Dall' Italia All Australia'. It's a film about Italian migrants coming to Australia in the 1920s. Click here for details.

2005 China Visit, Nanning International Folk Song Arts Festival

Nanning International Folk Song Arts Festival is sponsored by Nanning Municipal People's Government, and has been successfully held for consecutive 6 years with its full-bodied ethnicity, diversity, strong sense of modern times and internatinonalism, it has also become one of the most influential cultural festivals in China. In 2004, Nanning was designated as the permenant site for China ASEAN EXPO, and the festival is held at the same time as the EXPO since 2004, which makes the festival more and more important. Every year, domestic and international elites, famous top-profile singers and art groups are invited by the Organizing Committee.

We arrived safe and tired in Nanning on Wednesday 19 in time to attend the Opening Ceremony.

What an amazing sight! Over 70,000 people were in attendance to listen to a great selection of Chinese artists and some wonderful international guests includingt the Vienna Boys Choir, a choir and band from Russia doing the Russian thing, an amazing Swedish piano player and lots more.

The theme of the concert was the presentation of the four seasons. The lights and effects and fireworks were incredible! It would be true to say that we have never experienced anything like it!

The band today travelled out to one of the outer counties of Nanning and performed to around 5,000 people in the town square. On the same concert were performers from Egypt, Italy and of course many Chinese dancers and singers. It was truly an amazing experience. The children absolutely swamped us and Sam of course!

Two of the band previous recordings - After the Tradition and Australian Selection - are to be re-released in May. They can be oredered from the Australian folk music magazine CD shop - www.tradandnow.com/shopping

20 years of weekly Bush Dances

2005 marked the 20th year of a regular Wednesday night bush dances with music provided by members of the Wongawilli Band.

Over 40,000 people would have attended over that time. The dance was initially held in Dapto and now in the Wongawilli Community Hall.

The band has been led since its inception by David De Santi who still squeezes away. The sheet music is provided for the musicians.

Folk Music School

Jane Brownlee from Wongawilli organised the 3rd Jamberoo Valley Folk Music School for fiddlers.

It was a chance to learn some Australian tunes and fiddle technique in the beautiful surrounds of Jamberoo.

The Club has presented a bush dance every Wednesday at the Wongawilli Community Hall (except over the Christmas/New Year) since 1987. There is a live band and all the dances are walked and called through. Acoustic musicians are welcome as sheet music is provided.

There are a number of theme dances nights during the year as follows:

Wed 23 January- Pre-Australia Day bush dance from 8pm at Woonona Bulli Sports ClubWed 27 February - Pre-St David's Day Welsh Bush Dance.Wed 12 March - Pre-St Patrick's Day dance.Wed 16 April - Pre-St George's English Country Dance.Wed 23 April - Anzac Day Bush Dance.Wed 28 May - Italian Folk DanceWed 23 July - Post Bastille Day French folk dance.Wed 26 November - St Andrews Day DanceWed 17 December - Final Dance for 2008.Wed 14 January 2009 - First dance for 2009 at Bulli Heritage Hotel as part of the 2009 Illawarra Folk FestivalWed 21 January - Pre-Australia Day Bush Dance, part of the 22nd Illawarra Folk Festival, Bulli Heritage HotelWed 1 April - Irish Ceili with special guests - Alan Kelly Band from Galway Ireland

Wongawilli Community Hall

Since 1990 Wongawilli Colonial Dance Club Inc has managed the Wongawilli Community Hall for the Wollongong City Council.

Bush dances are held there every Wednesday night from 8pm.

The Hall is available to hire for functions. It is 6m wide x 11m long and seat around 60 people.

Members of the band play every week at the regularWednesday night bush dance at Wongawilli Community Hall. Acoustic musicians are invited to join in with sheet music provided. The evening starts at 8pm and costs $2.50 and includes a light supper.

The aim of the Wongawilli Band, Wongawilli Colonial Dancers & Wongawilli Colonial Dance Club Inc. established in 1987 is to preserve, promote and perform Australia's tradition and heritage of music, song, dance, poetry and yarnspinning. The band, club and dancers are involved in recording, publishing, arranging functions and folk festivals.

The Club is based in the Illawarra region, 130km south of Sydney, New South Wales and presents a number of events including the Australian Folk Music and Dance Gathering. It was previously the Australian Folk Festival.

The Club also assists the Illawarra Folk Club with the staging of the popular Illawarra Folk Festival held at Jamberoo over the past 20 years. David De Santi, member of the Wongawilli Band, has been the Festival's director since 1996.